The Texas A&M men’s tennis team wrapped up the ITA All-American Tournament on Monday. The Aggies accomplished plenty over the course of the 10-day event at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., highlighted by Shane Vinsant advancing to the Main Draw Round of 16, one win short of the quarterfinals.
Eight players competed in the pre-qualifying draw, which started on Oct. 3. Sophomore Jordi Arconada and freshman Kevin Lam advanced to the Round of 128 with wins over Notre Dame and Wichita State, respectively. The other six A&M participants came up short against their respective opponents.
Arconada and Lam were able to carry that success into the next day as well. Lam defeated Drake and Arconada beat Wake Forest to qualify the Aggie duo for the Round of 64. Lam succumbed to Ole Miss in two sets, ending his run, but Arconada was able to sweep his match against Auburn to advance to the Qualifying Round, where a defeat from Wake Forest ended his run.
In doubles, the team of sophomore Jordi Arconada and junior Max Lunkin advanced to the Main Draw by winning three matches, and the other A&M team of sophomores A.J. Catanzariti and Arthur Rinderknech were knocked out in the Round of 64 by Dartmouth.
The trio of Catanzariti, Rinderknech and senior Shane Vinsant were already qualified for the singles Main Draw, which started on Thursday, Vinsant and Rinderknech each won their first match while Catanzariti fell to San Diego.
On Friday, Vinsant beat his opponent from Arizona in three sets to advance to the third round for the first time in his collegiate career. Also Friday, Rinderknech lost to Virginia in the final set to end his tournament. It was Rinderknech’s first loss of the season, as the Frenchman had won his first five contests.
Vinsant’s run came to an end on Saturday. In the Round of 16 of the Main Draw, the senior from Keller, Texas, won the second set to force a decisive third set, but ultimately lost 6-2 at the hands of North Carolina.
The A&M squad is currently competing in the Rice Futures Tournament in Houston, and the Main Draw of that tournament begins on Tuesday.
